HealtH Matters 91
HealtH & well-beinG
SPORTING PASSIONS
Health Matters talks to Karen Nugent who combines working with the Immunisation Programme in the
Public Health Department in Tullamore and playing camogie for Co Offaly and her club Drumcullen. Karen
was part of Offaly’s winning team when the county won its fi rst ever junior All-Ireland camogie title in 2009.
When did you start playing camogie and after the heartbreaking defeat in 2008 sitting around me that this team was more
what was the first team you played for? and this gave us the drive and the determined than ever.
I started playing camogie when I was about determination to achieve one step better
seven or eight years old. the first team I in 2009. What are your sporting ambitions for
played for was my club Drumcullen in an this year?
Under 10 challenge game. On hearing the final whistle in the I’d love to win an Intermediate all-Ireland
All-Ireland, what was going through with Offaly and then get to play among the
What benefits does it bring to your life? your mind? top names at senior level. I’d also like to win
It is a great way to unwind and relieve your shock and disbelief…yet excitement! I’ve back-to-back club championships with my
stress after a day at the office. sometimes watched so many great Offaly teams down club Drumcullen.
you may dread going to training especially on through the years trying to achieve this goal
a cold Friday night in January, but you feel and to think that I could be part of the first What famous sports person do you
so good after it knowing you are getting fit. team to achieve this was just unbelievable. I most admire?
still have to give myself a little pinch! Rugby player Brian O’Driscoll. His work
Would you recommend camogie as a rate for his team, his determination and
sport to others? Is there any stand out moment from the skill is unbelievable. He never gives up
Yes definitely. It’s a great team sport and whole All-Ireland experience, pre-and until the game is over and this is evident
as you go through life you become part post-match, which best sums up the time in the numerous late tries he has scored
of different teams and meet new people, for you? in many games.
national school, secondary school, college It has to be the Garda escort from the Spa
etc. there is a great social aspect when you Hotel into Croke Park. We had it in 2008 What is your favourite Irish sporting memory?
are part of a camogie team. also and it was still as exciting the second The Ireland rugby team winning the RBS
time. One of our selector’s had made a six Nations Championship, the triple Crown
Does being a sports person help you in CD of music for us and it was playing and the Grand Slam last year. What an
your work? on the bus and I could tell by the girls achievement!
Yes it does; being fit helps me with the
stresses and strains of the working week. I
work as part of a team and being a member
of a camogie team has taught me how to
communicate and deal with those who I am
in contact with.
What is your best sporting memory?
It is winning Offaly’s first ever junior
all-Ireland title in 2009. We came within
minutes of winning it in 2008 and lost out
by a goal in the last few minutes, so to
come back and win it a year later was very
special. It just shows the character and
+ Karen Nugent,
determination that is in this Offaly team. in action for
Offaly against
Is there any one thing that you feel helps
Chloe Morey
of Clare in
a team win?
the all-Ireland
Motivation. this is definitely a key factor in
Camogie Junior
my opinion. We were strongly motivated Championship.
HM Iss6.1 p71-128.indd 91 12/03/2010 15:26:50
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132